Irrigation-ditch-damming machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 1.5, 1903. H. H. URQUHART. IRRIGATION DITGH DAMMING MAGHINE.

APJELIOATIQN FILED IAY- 234, 1908.

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PATBNTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

H. H. UR'QUHART. IRRIGATION DI'IcH DAMMING MACHINE.

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APPLICATION FILED HAY 23, 1903.

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s PETERS co. PHoToum No. 739,124. PATBNTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

H. H. URQUHART.

IRRIGATION DITGH DAMMING MCHINE. APrLIoATIoN Hun nu sa. 190s.

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UNITED latented September 15, 1901/3;

PATENT OFFICE.

IRRIGATION-DITCl-l-@DAMMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 739,124, dated September 15, 1903.

Applicata filed May 23, 190s.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. URQUHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mandlow, in the county of Gallatin and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Irrigation Ditch- Damming Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to irrigation-ditchdamming machinery, and my object is to produce a machine of this character which canv be controlled by one man and on whichsaid person can ride, which dumps automatically,I and which cuts outside the furrow to let excess water escape, and thus avoid breakage of the dam.

With these and other objects in view theinvention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described andk Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention withthe near wheel omitted to more clearlydisclose the intermediate construction. Fig. 2 is a top plan'view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on Fig. 4 is an outer face view of the central portion of one of the wheels with the outer cover-plate removed to disclose the internal mechanism of the wheel. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of an adjustable link forming part of the machine. Fig. is a horizontal section taken on the line V1 VI of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on the dotted line VII ofFig. 2.

In 'the said drawings, where like reference characters designate corresponding parts, 1 designates the axle .of a pair of carryingwheels 2, having ratchet-tooth openings 3 in their centers, closed by cover-plates 4, the inner ones being j ournaled on the axle in any suitable manner vto form journals for the wheels, and the outer ones secured rigidly on the axle and equipped with rearwardly-projecting spring-actuated pawls 5, for engagement with the abrupt walls of the ratchettooth openings 3 in order that ordinarily the wheels shall impart rotation to the axle as `the machine is drawn across a iield. The

springs 6, on guide-rods 6, rigid with the Serial No. 158,465. (No modelJ understood that when the machine is backed A the beveled teeth will spring the pawls in passing, so as to avoid rotation of the axle.

The main frame of the machine, which may be of iron or any other suitable material, coinprises the narrow front portion 7 and the' wide rear portion S, pivoted at its rear end, as at 9, on the axle and connected just forward of the latter by cross-bar 1Q.

11 is a skeleton U-frame having its bridge portion parallel with and a short distance rearward of frame portion 7 and rigidly bolted, as at 12 and 13, to said portion 7 and crossbar 9, respectively.

14 designates a bridge-plate extending longitudinally of the machine and resting on bridge-bars of frame portion 7 and frame 11, to which bridge-bars it is rigidly bolted, and in this connection it may be stated that frame 11 is employed simply to brace the main frame and to provide a support for the rear end of bridge-plate 14.

15 is a king-bolt mounted centrally in bridgeplate 14, and journaled or swiveled on said bolt is a casting comprising a circular body portion 16, a bifurcated head 17 and a cylindrical tongue-neck 18, uniting the body and head. The body portion is provided forward of the neck with a hook 19,connecte'd by a retractile spring 2O to the tongue 21, pivoted to operate vertically between the brackets 22 and secured to main-frame portion 7. Said body is also provided at equal distances from hook 19 and rearward of its center with a pair of upwardly-projecting pins 23 and 24, preferably less than half the length of the neck, and swiveled on said neck is a collar 25 of height less than the distance between the v' IOO pended from a pair of cranks and 31, respectively, suspended pivotally from depending lugs 32 of frame portion 7 and lugs 33 of frame ll, one pivotal arm of crank 3l being prolonged, as at 34, and journaled in a depending lug (see Fig. l) on the proximate side of the wide portion of the main frame, as shown in Fig. 2. On the outer end of said prolongation is rigidly secured a hand-lever 4 mally in the plane of the main frame rearward of and pivoted at its front ends on the axle, and pivotally connecting said frame with the hook 2G of the swiveled collar is an extensible link comprising a sleeve portion 42, adapted to be turned by a wrench or in any other suitable manner, a rod 43, fitting in and capable of longitudinal and rotary movement in said sleeve and lateral movement on said hook 26, and rod 44, screwed into the rear end of said sleeve and pivoted for vertical and slight lateral operation to the frame 41, and in this connection it should be stated that the normal position of said extensible link is at an angle to the travel of the machine, so that hook 26 shall bear against pin 23 or pin 24, according as the driver desires to throw the dammer to the right or left, for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

45 is a chain connecting the rear portion of lift-frame 41 with a lever 46, fulcrumed on the main frame at the opposite side from lever 36 and equipped with the usual spring-actuated latch 47, for engagement with a sector 48, secured to the main frame.

Contiguous to the lever 36, at the inner side of the lift-frame, is a cog-wheel 49, rigidly mounted on the axle, and at the inner side of the same and fitting loosely on said axle is the forwardly-projecting arm of a hollow or tubular bracket 50, bolted to the contiguous portion of the lift-frame. Fulcrumed on the front end of said bracket below the axle, as at 51, is a foot-lever52, held normally against said arm bya retractile spring 53, secured at its opposite end to said bracket, and pi votally connected at its front end to said lever, as at 54, is the stem 55 of a catch 56, mounted in the tubular bracket and adapted for engagementwith said cog-'wheel to lock the lift-frame to said wheel.

In the practical operation of the machine the draft-animals are hitched to the front end of the plow-beam in the customary manner and to the tongue, and the tension of spring 20 tends to centralize the dammer rearward of the plow, so that as the machineis drawn v across the field said dammer shall travel in the furrow, sufficient loose dirt piling up in front of it to completely fill the furrow at distances of about a rod apart. By the time the dammer has traveled approximately the distance mentioned the driver upon seat 57, supported on the main frame iu any suitable manner, as at 58, presses lever 52 forwardly with his foot and causes the catch 56 to engage the forwardly-rotating cog-wheel 49, the result being the lift-frame is automatically elevated to said cog-wheel and at the same time raises the dammer. As the lifting action occurs the adjustable link is automatically shortened by the sleeve 42 sliding forward on rod portion 43 until the rear end of the latter is engaged by the front end of the rod portion 44, said rod portion 43 remaining stationary until this disposition of the parts occurs, because the resistance exerted by spring 20is greater than the frictional resistance to movement of the sleeve on said rod 43. At the instant rod 44 strikes rod 43, which occurs, of course, before the lift-frame is completely elevated, and by the time the dammer has assumed the horizontal plane of the uncut ground, the resistance of the spring is overcome, and hook 26-by pressure against the engaged pin 24, in this instance-turns the swiveled casting on the king-bolt, and thereby swings the dammer laterally of the furrow, leaving the earth which has accumulated to form a dam in the furrow of greater height than the plane of the uncut earth, this elevation and latera-l movement of the dammer occurring in a very small fraction of a revolution of the axle. As the lateral movement of the dammer is effected and itis supported above the uncut earth at the side of the furrow, the driver removes his foot from the lever 52 and permits the spring 53 to instantly eect the disengagement of the catch 56 and cog-wheel 49,the result being the gravitative tendency of the lift-frame, and the power of the spring lowers the former to its original position and swings the dammer as it reaches the front side of the dam under the continuous forward movement of the machine back into the wake of the plow, when it immediately drops back into the furrow in advance of the dam and begins to accumulate loose earth in the furrow for the building of the next dam, it being understood that the dammer in swinging back into the furrow cuts a passage through the loose earth, this passage forming an outlet for the water in case its volume threatens the destruction of the dam.

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When traveling to and from the place of operation, the driver retracts latch 37 from sector 38 and throws lever 36 forward, this action resulting in swinging cranks 30 31 rearwardly and raising the plow, which is held at the height desired by the rengagement of latch 37 with sector 38. He also, by first retracting latch 47 from sector 4S, throws lever 46 forward and through the medium of chain 45 raises the lift-frame, and incidentally the dammer, 'and secures such parts elevated at the height desired by releasing said latch and permitting it to rengage the sector 4S.

Said levers are manipulated in a like manner for the purpose of holding the plow and dammer elevated to permit the machine to be backed should occasion arise'for such retrograde movement.

Should it be desired to construct the dams without providing the overflow-passage at each dam, the collar 25 can be slid upward on neck 18 until arm 2G is above pin 23 or 24 and then turned until said arm is disposed forward of one of the pins. The collar is then released and in future elevations of the liftframe is turned by the link without affecting the position of the swiveled casting, and-therefore without imparting lateral movement to the dammer as it is raised by the lift-frame or permitted to drop by the descent of such frame.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produc-ed an irrigationditch-damming machine which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention and which is of simple, strong, durable, andv inexpensive construction, and while the drawings and description relate to the preferred embodiand a swiveled casting, a dammer having a ment of the invention it is apparent that it is susceptible of modification in minor particulars without departing from the princi-v ple and scope or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' v l. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a lift-frame mounted thereon, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and movable with the machine and capable of independent vertical movement, and means to raise the lift-frame to elevate the dammer.

2. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a lift-frame mounted thereon, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and movable with the machine and capable of independent vertical movement, means to raise the lift-frame to elevate the dammer, and means to secure the lift-frame in its elevated position.

3. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a swiveled casting mounted thereon,a lift-frame also mounted thereon, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to the swiveled casting to operate vertically, and a spring to centralize the dammer -with reference to the machine.

4. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, havin g a tongue beam extending forwardly and pivoted to the swiveled casting to operate vertically, and a retractile spring connecting the swiveled casting with the tongue to centralize the dammer with reference to the machine.

5. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a lift frame mounted thereon, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to the swiveled casting to operate vertically, and connections between the liftframe and the casting whereby elevation of the frame effects swivel movement of the casting and lifting and lateral movement of the dammer.

6. Anirrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a lift -frame mounted therein, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to the swiveled casting to operate vertically, connections between the lift-frame and the castingwhereby elevation of the frame effects swivel movement of the casting and lifting and lateral movement of the dammer, and means to restore the casting and dammer to vtheir original positions as the lift-fra me resumes its original position.

connected to the lift-frame and adapted tov impart movement to the swiveled casting through the elevation of the lift-frame.

S. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a lift -frame mounted thereon, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon to operate horizontally, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to work vertically to the swiveled casting, a link connected to the lift-frame and adapted to impart movement to the swiveled casting through the elevation of the lift-frame, and means to return the swiveled casting and the dammer to their original positions as theliftframe moves downward.

9. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a lift-frame mounted thereon, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon and provided at opposite sides of its center IOO with pins, a collar journaled on the casting l and having an arm between said pins, a link connecting the lift-frame and said arm, and adapted as the lift-frame is elevated to turn the collar and cause its arm to engage one of said pins and turn the casting, and a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over and provided at opposite sides of its center with pins, a collar journaled on the casting and having an arm between said pins, a link connecting the lift-frame and said arm, and adapted as the lift-frame is elevated to turn the collar and cause its arm to engage one of said pins and turn the casting, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to the casting to operate vertically, and means to turn the casting and thereby centralize the dammer as the lift-frame moves downwardly.

11. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a lift-frame mounted thereon, a swiveled casting also lnounted thereon and provided with pins at opposite sides of its center, a collar journaled on the casting and having an arm between said pins, an extensible and contractible link connecting the lift-frame and said arm, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to said casting to operate vertically, and means to elevate the lift-frame and thereby raise the dammer and first contract said link and then cause it to press said collar-arm against one of said pins and rotate the casting.

12. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a lift-frame mounted thereon, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon and provided with pins at opposite sides of its center, a collar journaled on the casting and having an arm between said pins, an extensible and contractible link connecting the lift-frame and said arm, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over thc lift-frame and pivoted to said casting to operate vertically, means to elevate the lift-frame and thereby raise the dammer and first contract said link and then cause it to press said collar-arm against one of said pins and rotate the casting, and means to return the casting and thereby swing the dammer back to its original position on the lift-frame as the latter resumes its original position.

13. In a machine of the character described,

a wheeled frame, a plow suspended centrally therefrom, a liftframe mounted on said wheeled frame, a dammer rearward of the plow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and attached to the machine for vertical movement, and means to raise and lower the lift-frame for the purpose of elevating and lowering the dammer.

11. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a plow suspended centrally therefrom, a lift frame mounted on said wheeled frame, a dammer rearward of the plow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and attached to the machine for vertical movement, and means to elevate the lift-frame and thereby the dammer, and lock said parts in their elevated positions.

15. In amachine of the character described,

therefrom, a lift frame mounted on said wheeled frame, a dammer rearward of the plow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and attached to the machine for vertical movement, means to elevate the lift-frame and thereby the dammer and lock said parts in their elevated positions, and means to raise and secure the plow in its elevated position.

16. An irrigation-ditch-dammin g machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a plow suspended centrally therefrom, a lift-frame mounted on the wheeled frame, a swiveled casting also mounted on the wheeled frame, connections between the lift-frame and the swiveled casting to cause the elevation of the frame to turn the latter, and a dammer normally occupying the plow-furrow and having abeam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to said casting to operate vertically and adapted by the elevation of the lift-frame to be raised out of said furrow and then by the turning of the casting to be swung to one side of the furrow.

17. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a plow suspended centrally therefrom, a lift-frame mounted on the wheeled frame, a swiveled casting also mounted on the wheeled frame, connections between the lift-frame and the swiveled casting to cause the elevation of the frame to turn the latter, a dammer normally occupying the plow-furrow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to said casting to operate vertically and adapted by the elevation of the lift-frame to be raised out of said furrow and then by the turning of the casting to be swung to one side of the furrow, and means, as the lift-frame resumes its original position, to restore the swiveled casting and the dammer to their original positions.

18. In a machine of the character described, an axle having carrying-wheels to impart forward movement to the axle, a frame fitting loosely on and projecting forwardly from the axle, a plow suspended centrally from said frame, a lift-frame pivoted on the axle and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a dammer rearward of the plow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and connected to the machine to operate vertically, and means for throwing the lift-frame in gear with said axle to effect the elevation of said frame and dammer.

19. In a'machine of the character described, an axle having carrying-wheels to impart forward movement to the axle, a frame litting loosely on and projecting forwardly from the axle, a plow suspended centrally from said frame, a lift -frame pivoted on the axle and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a dammer rearward of the plow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and connected to the machine to operate vertically, a cog-wheel rigid on the axle, and a spring-retracted catch movable with the liftframe and adapted for engagement with said cog-wheel to effect the elevation of said frame.

20. In a machine of the character described, an axle havin carrying-wheels to impart forward movement to the axle, a frame iitting loosely on and projecting forwardly from the axle, a plow suspended. centrally from said frame, a lift-frame pivoted on the axle and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a dammer rearward of the plow and having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and connected to the machine to operate vertically, a cog-wheel rigid on the axle,'a springretracted catch movable with the lift-frame,

' and a lever connected to cause said catch to d comprising a wheeled frame, a lift-frame thereon, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon, and provided' with upwardly-projecting pins, a' collar provided with an arm and mounted and capable of turning o'n the casting and of vertical movement thereon to elevate said frame above said pins, an extensible link pivotally connected at its rear end to the lift-frame, and at its front end to said collar-arm, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame andl pivoted to said swiveled casting to operate vertically, and means, as the'lift-frame is'elevated and lifts the dammer, to hold the casting stationary until the link is fully contracted, and then to yield and permit the full elevation of the lift-frame to turn said casting and swing the dammer laterally.

22. An irrigation-ditch-damming machine, comprising a wheeled frame, a lift-frame thereon, a swiveled casting also mounted thereon, and provided withupwardly-projecting pins, a collar provided with an arm and mounted and capable of turning on the ycasting and of vertical movement thereon to elevate said frame above said pins, an eX- tensible link pivotally connected at its rear end to the lift-frame, and at its front end to said collar-arm, a dammer having a beam extending forwardly over the lift-frame and pivoted to said swiveled castingto operate vertically and means, as the lift-frame is elevated and lifts the dammer, to hold the casting stationary until the link is fully contracted and then to yield and permit the full elevation of the lift-frame to turn said casting and swing the dammer laterally, and finally as the lift-frame is lowered to reverse the operation of the casting and reverse the lateral movement of the dammer, to permit it to descend with the lift-frame to its original position.

23. In an irrigation-ditch-damming machine, a wheeled frame, a vertically and laterally -movable dammer carried thereby, and means for raising and lowering the dammer.

24. In an irrigation-ditch-damming machine, a Awheeled frame, a vertically and laterally movable dammer carried thereby, land means for supporting the dammer in its elevated position and while moving laterally.

25. In an irrigationditch-dalnming machine, a wheeled frame, a vertically and` laterally movable dammer carried thereby, and means for moving said dammer laterally while being raised or lowered.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' HENRY H. URQUl-IART.

Witnesses:

'IRA L. KIRK,

JAMEs E. URQUHART. 

